Spool-supporting means for tube frames



May 31, 1927.

E.'F. HATHAWAY SPOOL SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TUBE FRAMES Filed May 6. 1926I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MTTQRNEY May 31,1927; 1,631,095 E. F. HATHAWAY SPOOLSUPPORTING MEANS FOR TUBE FRAMES Filed May 6. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STAT-ES PATENT/OFFICE.

EDGAR r. nArnAWAY, or WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS, AS SIGNO B T0 SHAWMUTENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

V SPOOL-SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TUBE FRAMES.

Application filed May 6,

This invention relates to tube frames such as are used in tuft weaving,of fabrics like Axminster carpets, and is intended to provide means forsupporting the yarn-spools of such frames for wide looms so as to secureequal or uniform rotation of the plural spools, while making provisionfor easy and rapid its bearing supports.

In the case of tube frames for wide or seamless Axminster rugs, it isCustomary to employ two or more yarn spools co-axially arranged end toend, with provision for interlocking their adjacent ends to produceuniform or equal rotation of the spools, but usually the interlockedends are made as male and female membersso that flexibility ofarrangement is limited by reason of the fact that the spools are notuniversally interchangeable. i

It is the object of the present invention to provide a very simpleconstruction and which, at the same time, facilitates speed in handling,produces equal rotation of the spools and makes it possible ,to'interlockinglyrconnect any spool in storage withany other spools when itbecomes necessary to reverse or interchange the spools forany reason.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention comprises, generallyspeaking, an

intermediate; spool-supporting" bracket in which is independentlymounted a rotatable coupling member constructed to have quick detachableinterlocking connection with the adjacent ends of both yarn-spoolsbetween which it is located for the purpose-of I'O-' tatably supportingboth spools and couplingthem together to secure uniform or equalrotation thereof.

This and other features ofthe invention will be more particularlydescribed in" the following specification and will be defined in theclaims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a cheap and convenientconstruction and arrangement embodying the prin'- ciples of thisinvention, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly "in section, showing a completetube frame with interlocked portions broken away to show:

removal of either spool section from.

her during its rotation.

1926, Serial No. 107,068.

the interior construction to which the inven- "ing rotation of the spooland preventing endwise displacement of the coupling mem- Figure 7 "s anend elevation, partly in cross section, of the construction of couplingmengber and bearing bracket shown in Fig ure' V F gure 8 is a verticalsection showin a mod fied construction and arrangement of the middlebearing member with adjacen spool ends supported thereon.

F gure 9 is a side elevation of the upper portion of one of the middlebearing brackets 1llustr'ated in Figure 8, with the couplin splineremoved. a V b F gure 10 is a detailshowing, in cross section, thecoupling member and the journal member of the spool splined together forequal rotation.

Figure 11 is a detail similar to Figure 8 showing one of thespoolstilted and pushed inwardly to permit removal.

The construction embodying the-principles of this invention isapplicable in a variety of ways to accomplish different objects forwhich the invention is intended. It provides a construction facilitatingthe removal of the yarn spools from the tube-frame, as well as aconstruction for coupling adjacent yarn-spools together to secure equalrotation thereof in Winding the yarn, and it also permits the use of auniversal spool, that is, one "that can be used not only in differentpositions in the same tube frame and that is reversible end for endtherein,

but also one. that may be used in a single spool tubeframe where,ordinarily, a spool with simple bearing pintle journals is em; ployed.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 6 the main parts ofthe tube frame, except the middle bearing construction, embrace theusual longitudinal carrier bar 1-, to which are secured therow of spacedtuft-tubes 2 for delivering the yarn to the fabrlc bOlIl woven end haners embracin b 7 c t) a chain-penetrating arm 3', a hook-latch 41 aspool-bearing bracket or car 5, in. this case with an open bearing forthe'sp'ool', and associated therewith a journal-retaining arm or latch 6which normally overhangs the spool journal on. the open side of thebearing and is pressed into operative position by an expansion spring 7,which is "lllllBlPOSQCl between the keeper 6 and the tween adjacent endsof adjacent spools. I

In the present case I have shown a yarnspool whose barrel 1.1 is intheform of a metallic tube to which, are secured end heads.

12 whose central portion is depressed toform a hollow boss 1.2 fittinginside the barrel to which the barrel is secured. Centrally of theconnecting bosses 12 -are secured, by riveting or: otherwise, suitablestub shafts or pintle journals 13, all of which, in this, case, are ofsubstantially the same dimensions'to allow the spool to be reversed endfor end to correspondingly change the pattern or to be placed in anydesired order of arrangement in a multiple spool tube-frame.

The central bearing bracket 8, in thiscase, comprises two sheet metalarms riveted or spot-welded together, the upper portion of said bracketmembers being provided'with aligned bearing openings whose edges, inthis. case, are turned outwardly to form annular bearing flanges 8.Attheir lower ends these bracket. plates or members are severed topermit, the formation of an eye to receive a bearing rod or,pintle;.8-,, a portion of the lowerends being: continued down. toform.projectingheels 8", engaged with aflat or leaf. spring 9'project1ngacross an opening in its support. 10,, and held in place by headedscrews 10, the further'details of which, need' not be explained as.

details of this construction form the subject matter of anotherapplication. Thls is a construction which permits the middle bearingbracket to be swung to either side of its normal position to facilitatethe removal of the spool journal, while being normally held by springtension in its vertical or. upright position.

Mounted inside the bearing opening of the upright stand 8 'is arelativelyshort rotatable bearing member-15", whoseouter ends,

in this form, project inside the hollow or cupped ends of the heads 12of the spools and att'ord a bearing support for the ad jaccnt cndsof thespools. This bearing and coupling memberis centrally bored to allow Inthis case the coupling member com I prises a longitudinal pin 17 driventhrough a small eccentrically located bore in the ,member 15, withitsends projecting beyond theends of the member 15 to penetrate oppositely,aligned holes 12 punched in the offset or cupped portion of each head,there being preferably an annular series ofsuch holes to permitcircumferential adjustment of one spool in relation to the 'other.

It will be observed that the bearinglopening for the reception of therotatabletoupling member 15 is' closed and that the coupling memberitself is permanently mounted -in its bearing bracket but is detachablyconnected or engaged, at its opposite ends, with the adjacent endsof theyarn-spools. This construction permits the removal of either yarn-spoolfrom the middle bearing without depriving the othersp'ool of its bearingsupport. a

To remove either of the spools shown, the operator releases the keeper 6in order to lift the journal out'ot'the bearing bracket 5,.so as topermit withdrawal. of the spool in somewhat tilted or oblique positionendwise from its interior bearing member 15.

The circular arrangement of" locking holes 12.! permitsfany'desireddegree of rotative adjustment between the two spools to bring their treeyarn ends in to a common line orv position. V

In Figures no 10 is shown another modification of the middle bearingbracket in which the rotatable bearing member. 25 is made to permitaxial displacement of the rotatable bearing-member 25 in its supportingbracket 18. In this case the rotat-T able bearing member 25 isprotided'with a" medial annular circumferential groove 25 1n which is seateda split ring 27 of wire which normally contracts into the groove but isso dimensioned as to projectpabout;

half its diameter beyond the circumferential surface of the member 25.The plates which form the bracket 18 are, in all respects, similar tothe plates 8, except that-the extended flanges 8 may be omitted and thetwo plates,

adjacent to the bearing orifice, are spread apart to form an annularrecess or channel of sufficient depth to allow the wire spring 27 toexpand entirely into it. The annular the member25 may be moved endwiseto facilitate disengagement and removal of the spool. This action isparticularly advantageous where the spools, as is often the case, areprovided with circumferential outwardly projecting flanges 12 The methodof'splining or coupling the two spools together in this form of the in.-vention differs in'detail from that previously described. In this casethe central bore of the member 25 .is longitudinally slotted to form akeyway in which is placed a spline or key 26, adapted to project intonotches 18 of the journal members.

It will be understood that in both cases the coupling spline maybedriven endwise from the rotatable coupling member-to allow independentrotation of the spools because,.

in some cases, mills prefer to dispense with a positive couplingconnection-and allow the spools to rotate independently of one another.a common bearing member forthe two spools and is endwise displace-ableto facilitate the removal of either spool. The spline can be readilyinserted at any time to couple the spools rotatably together.

In Figures 6 and 7, I have shown construction of middle bearing which isadapted also to provide a braking or retarding action to frictionallyretard the spools and hold them against external rotation. Brake devicesfor this purpose have been commonly employed to press against the outerheads of the spools, but this construction is easily applicable to themiddle bearings as well. In this case the rotatable bearing member 21 ismounted in an upright stand 8, similar to that shown in Figure 1, butthis stand.

has its flanges 8 out through for a part of their circumference to allowthe insertion of arcuate brake shoes 23, which may be made of raw hide,fibre or other suitable material, and these arcuate shoes are kept inplace and pressed against the rotary bear- In that case the member25forms ing member 21 by means of a circumferential split ring 24, whichisseated in external or circumferential grooves, formed in said shoes, :toproperly position themv and, by their contractile force, exert thedesired degree of pressure upon the rotating member 21. In this case therotatable bearing member 21 is shown as provided with annular grooves 21of approximately V shape, into which project the wedge shaped-brakeshoes 23. This-form increases the braking action and at the same timepermits the brake shoes, with their encircling expansible springs, toact as an expansible key or spline to allow endwise displacement of thebearing member 21, by pressure on one end thereof.

Coupling pins 22, driven through small bores in the member 21 serve, inthis particular form, not only to .couple the two spools together torotate in unison, but also form the actual support for the spool membars20. In this case I have shown the ordinaryr wooden spool 20 with itswooden head or flange 20, instead of the metallic spool previouslydescribed. The end faces of these Pspools are provided with an annularseries of bored openings 20 to receive the coupling pins 22. In thiscase, of course, removal of the coupling pins would deprive the'spoolsof their rotatable support, in

which respect this form differs from the other forms above described,but in all the forms shown and described the rotatable bearing member,mounted in the middle bracket or stand, is capable of affording both abearing support for the two spools as well as a coupling conectionbetween them.

What I claim is: y 7

1. In a tube frame for tuftiweaving, the combination with a longitudinalcarrier-bar having spool-bearing brackets at its ends,of a .medialbearing bracket formed with a closed annular bearing, a. rotatablecoupling meuiber mounted in said bearing and having releasable couplingconnection at both ends with the adjacent ends of adjacent yarn spoolsto insure equal rotation of both spools while allowing either spool tobe removed without depriving the other of its bearing support.

2. In a. tube frame for tuft weaving, the combination with. alongitudinal carrier-bar having spool-bearing brackets at its ends, arotatably supported spool-coupling member interposed between adjacentends of two spools and having releasable coupling engagement with bothspools, said coupling member being movable in a direction lengthwise ofthe spools to facilitate the removal of spools from the tube frame.

3. In a tube frame for tuft weaving, the combination with a longitudinalcarrier-bar having spool-bearing brackets at its ends, one or moremiddle bearing brackets interposed between two spools, a rotatablecoupling member mounted in said middle bearing bracket and havingdetachable coupling connection with each of said spools and means forengaging the coupling member with its bracket to normally prevent axialdisplacement thereof in the bracket during rotation.

4. A middle bearing bracket for tubelrame yarn spools embracing incombination an upright stand adapted to be mounted on a tube-framecarrier-bar so as to be inter-- posed between two aligned spools, arotatable coupling member mounted in a bearing- 0 )enin formed thereinand having at both ends,. means adapted to form detachable couplingengagement with two adjacent spools to secure equal'rotation oi bothspools for the delivery of yarn.

5. A spool-bearing bracket for a tube frame embracing an uprightbearing; stand, a rotatable member mounted therein: and

provided with means for rotat'evely couplingit with the adjacent ends ofspools that-are coaxially disposed on opposite sides of the stand, saidmember being axially bored for the reception of adjacent spool journals,thereby permitting reversal of either spool end for end.

(ii A spool-bearing bracket for a tube frame-embracing in itsconstruction an upright bearing stand adapted to beinterposed frameembracing an upright stand provided with an annular bearing, aspool-coupling member rotatably' mounted therein and formed to havecoupling connection with the adjacent ends of coaxially arrangedspools,-

means for normally retainingsaid' co'npling member against axialdisplacement when rotating, said means embracing circumt'enentialoutwardly expansible means engaging an annular groove formed inthe circuma" terential surface of the coupling member.

8. A spool-supportingbracketfor a tube frame embracing an upright standprovided with a: bearing opening a spool-bearing member rotatablymounted in said bearing.

opening and formed to project .in part into recesses in the ends ofaligned yarn spools and to receive within itself the projecting journalsof such yarn spools.

9. In a tube frame the combinationwith a carrier-bar having at its endsspool-bearing brackets and one or more middle brackets, a plurality ofyarn spools mounted 111- said brackets end to end, each yarn spoolhaving rotatein unison. y

10. A spool-bearing bracket embracing an upright stand formed with aflanged bear-' ing, a spool-supporting member rotatably mounted thereinand affordingcoupling connection between two adjacent spools, radiallycon'tract-ible brake means mounted on said stand to have frictionalengagement.

with said: bearing member to ,frictionallyretard rotation of the spools.

11. A middle spool bearing stand. for tube frame-adapted to beinterposed'between the adjacent heads of two spools and afford supportfor the spools, spooleretarding means embracing radially movable brakeshoes, and a contractible spring exerting inward pressure on said brakeshoes to retard rotation'of the spools.

In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification;

EDGAR F. HATHAWAY.

journals of like construction at both ends; and means rotatablysupporting t-liemiddle bearings to detachably couple together 'the'adjacent endsot' the spools to cause themto.

